1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a starter for starting an engine.
2. Related Art
For a starter having a magnet switch, one conventional magnet switch is disclosed in JOURNAL OF NIPPONDENSO TECHNICAL DISCLOSURE, Ser. No. 82-113, published on Jan. 15, 1992.
This magnet switch for a starter has, as shown in FIG. 11, a plunger 100, taper portions 101 and 111 provided respectively on the plunger 100, a sleeve 110 forming a sliding surface of the plunger 100, and an elastic or resilient member 130 interposed between a plunger engaging portion 102 and an end 121 of a lever 120. With this construction, when the magnetic switch stops its operation (i.e., a standstill state), the plunger 100, urged by a return spring 140, stops in the state where the taper portion 101 of the plunger 100 is in contact with the taper portion 111 of the sleeve 110, and is held in a stable manner by the bias force of the return spring 140. Therefore, even if a large vibration is received from the outside, the plunger 100 is not moved in an axial direction (a lateral direction in FIG. 11) within the sleeve 110. The plunger 100 and the sleeve 110 become integral in effect, such that abrasions of the sleeve surface caused by relative movement of the plunger 100 and the sleeve 110 can be prevented.
However, this magnet switch has the following problems:
(1) an increase in the number of parts due to the provision of the elastic member 130, PA0 (2) an increase in manufacturing steps caused by the provision of the taper portions 101 and 111 on the plunger 100 and the sleeve 110, PA0 (3) a change in magnetic characteristic caused by the provision of the taper portion 101 in the plunger 100, PA0 (4) in the standstill state, since the lever 120 is pressed by the elastic force of the elastic member 130 (i.e., the lever 120 is not directly pressed by the return spring 140), the force for pressing and holding one-way clutch toward the axial rear end through the lever 120 lowers, and PA0 (5) since the intervention of the elastic member 130 between the plunger engaging portion 102 and the lever end 121 eliminates an engaging clearance therebetween, even if energization of the magnet switch is cut off after the start of an engine, there reduces a contact cut-off play set to cut off a motor contact when a pinion cannot be disengaged from a ring gear due to the inferior sliding or the like.